The present invention relates to a ski boot.
There are currently two main types of known ski boots: the rear-entry type and the mixed structure type. The rear-entry type comprises a front quarter and a rear quarter, associated with a rigid shell, the rear quarter can be tilted downward to allow the insertion of the foot from the rear. The mixed-structure type comprises a front quarter and a rear quarter associated with a shell having overlapping flaps.
In said known types of boots it is known to use, as a quarter closure element, a vertical lever which is advantageously associated at the back of the rear quarter and tensions one or more traction elements such as cables.
In use, the vertical lever can be firmly placed in two positions: a closed position, in which the cables are tensioned, and an open position, in which the cables are slackened to allow the rotation of the rear quarter and therefore the removal of the foot.
The disadvantage of these known types of ski boots is constituted by the fact that easy walking while wearing the boot is not possible in any of the two positions in which the vertical lever can be arranged.
In the closed position, the leg is in fact forced to remain bent forward, whereas in the open position the rear quarter does not rest on the calf, making the foot slip out.
As a partial solution to these disadvantages, a ski boot has been devised having a vertical lever, associated with a rear quarter, and comprising a device which provides for two different degrees of closure of the rear quarter.
Though this known device provides for the complete closure of the quarters, when the lever is closed, or the partial opening thereof for walking, there are some disadvantages: it is in fact indispensable to open the lever in order to change the tensioning of the cable, since it is necessary to act on an adapted transmission element, and subsequently close said lever; this forces the skier to perform an additional operation.
Furthermore, due to the small size of the cable transmission element, said element is not easy to activate when wearing skiing gloves or with ice on the lever.
The known device is furthermore structurally complicated and, because of said transmission element, does not allow, due to lack of space, to insert a device for adjusting the tension of the cables for quarter closure contained inside the lever arm; said device must necessarily be provided at the quarters.
A rear-entry ski boot is also known which has, at the back of the rear quarter, a vertical lever associated with adapted wings by means of the interposition of a pair of connecting rods.
This solution has the same disadvantages indicated for the preceding known device, except for the fact that this solution allows to insert cable tension adjustment systems inside the lever arm.
In addition, however, this known system has a further disadvantage: it is necessary to provide room, at the shell, for accommodating the lever, which room is equal to the length of said lever, plus twice the axis distance of the connecting rods.
Given a set available space in the rear quarter, since the length of the lever is limited by the fact that interactions with the ski fastening must be avoided, the size of said lever must be decreased and the effort to be applied in order to close the quarters is thus increased.